A Good Day For Soup!

I realize we aren't going to get much sympathy from our neighbors to the North, but this morning our temperatures dropped 15 degrees in one hour to 43 and it stayed there all day. T is in Wisconsin where the high was 7! ("My face hurts!") It may go down to 35 tonight. I know, boo-hoo. But we did take the weather opportunity to make this soup. And knock back some of my eleventy-billion cans of Bellagio cocoa stash. We'll enjoy this while we can.

This soup is from the Pillsbury Fast and Healthy magazine, November/December 1992 - "Speedy Soups for Busy Days." An oldie but goodie. I was even able to find Buitoni's tortellini in whole wheat. They seemed to hold their shape better with no discernable taste or visual difference - just, "this tastes good!"

TORTELLINI SPINACH SOUP

4 1/2 cups water + 4 teaspoonfuls Penzeys Chicken soup base

-OR- 3 cans chicken broth + 1 cup water

3 carrots, sliced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

1 package cheese tortellini, uncooked

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

In a dutch oven, combine broth, carrots, oregano and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add tortellini, boil gently 4-5 minutes or until tortellini is almost tender. Add spinach. Reduce heat; simmer 2-3 minutes or until tortellini is tender, stirring occasionally.